Myles Jack’s four TDs lead UCLA over Washington

UCLA Bruins's Myles Jack (30) scores one of his four touchdowns against Washington Huskies during the first half of their college football game in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013.
(Keith Birmingham Pasadena Star-News)

Trite, yes, but it’s worked out so far for the UCLA football team. Its running back corps depleted by injury, it turned to true freshman linebacker Myles Jack a week ago to fill the void.

His second college game on offense almost matched a school record. The Bruins rolled out a 41-31 win over Washington, powered by Jack’s four touchdowns. It was the best single-game total for a UCLA back in nearly a decade, since Maurice Jones-Drew set a record with five in 2004.

Jones-Drew, by the way, is a three-time All-Pro running back.

Circumstances forced onto Jack 13 carries, more than double what he took a week ago at Arizona. Starting running back Jordon James, who has missed five of the last six games with an ankle injury, was dressed but didn’t play. Senior Damien Thigpen was also held out, having spent most of the week with a boot over his right foot.

How long can Jack keep doing this? As long as he’s asked to, the team hopes.

“If they need me to get a first down, third-and-1, I’m feeling more confident in myself, my O-line, my quarterback, the guys blocking for me,” he said. “We can get the job done. If they need me to do it, I’m with it.

Redshirt freshman Paul Perkins led the team with 21 carries and 86 yards, but Jack’s 59 yards came at more crucial junctures.

On his third touchdown, he dragged two defenders into the end zone — barely sneaking over the goal line before getting pushed back and losing his helmet. It gave UCLA a 27-7 lead.

Even his mistakes turned into gains. An early fumble bounced upfield, but teammate Brandon Willis jumped on the ball. Jack was credited with a 25-yard gain, most of that coming after he had already hit the ground.

In the fourth quarter, the Bruins lost another back. Senior Malcolm Jones, a former Gatorade National Player of the Year at Oaks Christian High, crumpled to the turf after taking an apparent shot to the head.

He was helped up by trainers, but was so shaken that he stumbled multiple times while making his way to the sideline.

As he was later carted off, he stuck out an upturned thumb for the crowd of 68,106. He had nine carries for 61 yards, the highest single-game total of his career.

Head coach Jim Mora said after the game that James will be back next week. Thigpen could return too. They need to. Jack won’t admit it, but there’s a limit to how much of a beating he can take.

Advertisement

“It’s tough. It’s kind of a dance,” Mora said. “You have to decide how much you can use him without hampering his ability to be effective.”

Washington suffered a crucial loss too. Senior Keith Price, who entered the game with the fourth-best quarterback rating in the Pac-12, injured his right shoulder late in the first half.

He had led an eight-play, 95-yard drive that spanned less than three minutes to put the Huskies (6-4, 3-4) on the board after a 14-0 deficit. The highlight? A 50-yard bomb he uncorked to set up tailback Bishop Sankey’s short scoring run.

After struggling to make full arm circles on the sideline, he returned to the bench without pads.

Backup Cyler Miles surprised in relief duty. A four-star recruit who was once rated the top prospect out of Colorado, the redshirt freshman had 101 career yards and a touchdown on 6-of-10 passing.

Given his first significant action, he cut up UCLA’s secondary early. He started 12 of 16 with 126 yards and two touchdowns, keeping the Huskies within two scores.

His favorite target was true freshman Damore’ea Stringfellow, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound wideout who finished with 147 yards and a touchdowns on eight catches.

UCLA (8-2, 5-2) extended the lead to 41-31 in the fourth quarter when quarterback Brett Hundley and receiver Devin Lucien connected for a 40-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

It was the first Bruins touchdown that didn’t end with a defensive player in the end zone. In addition to Jack’s four scores, defensive end Cassius Marsh also caught a touchdown early — the first of his season and second of his career.

The defense held on, as safety Randall Goforth and linebacker Jordan Zumwalt both picked off Miles inside the four-minute mark. UCLA finished with four sacks, its highest single-game total of the season.